


No one else could understand

by Akiko_kitsune



Category: Gintama
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chapter 701 Coda, Gay love can save us all, Hurt/Comfort, Just let me have it, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 16:01:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17963660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_kitsune/pseuds/Akiko_kitsune
Summary: No one else could understand why it was so important for Takasugi to save Shouyou. Why he had to accomplish it, no matter what would be the cost. It didn't matter. Takasugi didn't care if anyone understood it, he would simply do all in his might to achieve it. Whatever with others or without.





	No one else could understand

**Author's Note:**

> If Sorachi needs help in finishing Gintama, I lay my idea here... I'm joking, it's too sappy even for me and I love this ship more than anything. But since I saw a broken heart, I had to mend it (okay, I had to revive destroyed heart, that's even gayer) 
> 
> For the original lines from the manga, I used hiwamatanoboru translation.

Takasugi threw away Gintoki's sword. He had to do it alone. No one else could understand. No one else cared about it more than he did. It would be logical if Gintoki would, but it was not logical.

Takasugi reached the main hall and he saw him. He finally really saw him. It wasn't a dream or a hallucination. Shouyou was really there. He looked more like a marble statue than a human being. Divine and beautiful as he used to be, but this time he also seemed cold. His chest was pierced by crimson crystals where his heart should be.

Was it really him?

Takasugi came closer. No matter who was the person before him, he would love him the same as he loved Shouyou.

Takasugi heard his voice. He missed it so much, but… Shouyou was talking about erasing himself.

No.

Takasugi couldn’t let him do it.

“Like hell,” he snarled. In his condition, even breathing brought an effort, but he had forced his body to walk, his mouth to speak, his eye to stay open. “All to save you, we met up with all these people we didn’t really get along with and crawled on our hands and knees to get here. And you want to erase yourself?” He looked him in the eyes. “Not gonna happen.”

Shouyou stood and listened, that made him look more like a lifeless statue. But the more Takasugi spoke, it changed. Shouyou started to seem sad. It was better than that dull expression he wore before.

“Sensei… Don't make that sad face. I… We... are gonna protect you from whoever we have to. So… Let’s go home… Sensei. Along with them, to Shouka Sonjuku.”

“I can't.” The man turned back to him and went.

Takasugi caught his hand. He couldn't let him go. He couldn't lose him. Not after how much he'd gone through to reach him. Not when he finally met him.

His skin was cold.

"They destroy the heart," Shouyou explained.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to protect it."

"Why?"

"Because it was your heart."

"Soon the rest will be destroyed as well,” Shouyou lowered his gaze. “Shinsuke... Let me go."

"No."

Shouyou only slightly sighed. Right, once again someone wanted to decide about his life without his consent.

"No,” Takasugi repeated. “Not when the only thing you've experienced is the pain."

"One day everything will turn into it."

"No, it won't. Not everything. No matter how much you've suffered, not every memory turns to pain. Some stays and becomes the light in all this misery. They what help you stand up after every fall. I know about it well. Even if all my memories got tainted with pain and regret, my memories of you stayed. They were the only thing that kept me going."

"Stop, please." His voice sounded sadder.

Takasugi looked at him closely. The crystals were melting. That made him continue. "Give me one more chance. Only one more chance to make everything right this time."

“Why are you caring so much?”

“You know me - I'm always throwing myself into challenges and I’m too stubborn to let go.”

Shouyou's expression softened. “I know.” He hugged Takasugi close. It felt so eerie. Back in the happy days, they didn't touch that much. But now they fell into each other and melted.

Maybe their broken pieces matched somehow. Like even though they were both beyond repair, together there could be something out of them.

“You shouldn't have gone so far,” Shouyou murmured. “You got hurt.”

“I wanted to do it. Because I’m in love with you.”

There was no answer to these words. But it was okay. Takasugi didn’t need that much. This moment was already more than he could ever ask for. Slowly Shouyou’s body regained its warmth. Takasugi felt as heart started beating in his chest.

"All that was needed was a loving hand, huh?" Takasugi smiled.

Shouyou looked him in the eye. He caressed his cheek. He traced over the wound on his neck. It started to heal. So he moved his hand to Takasugi's chest. Under his touch, all wounds disappeared. He returned to his missing eye, but this time nothing happened. This one wound would never be wiped off.

It was alright.

Takasugi took Shouyou's hand. "It's alright," he repeated to him. "It's alright. It was worth it."

"It was not. Not all that pain. Not all misery…”

"You should have taught me better, then," he chuckled.

Shouyou brushed his hair away from his eye. It was so tender gesture. Almost like he was prasing Takasugi. Like what he had done was good. But no matter what Takasugi would do, in Shouyou’s eyes, he was always the greatest samurai. Or rather no matter what they had been through, at least this one thing stayed as it had been. As it should be.

They heard footsteps. Someone was coming. Even a lot more than one person. When the footsteps slowed down, Takasugi saw as Shouyou's expression saddened again. As his shoulders lowered in exhaustion and resignation.

Takasugi looked back. The others came. Gintoki, these kids of his, their dog, Zura and all their friends and allies. They didn't seem hostile against Shouyou. Everything was alright. He could return his eye to him and say: "They haven't come here to hurt you. They came to save you. To protect you."

When he said it out loud, he began to realise one more thing. It was not only about Shouyou. They came to save him too.

Maybe they had no longer go to Shouka Sonjuku. They were already home.

"Shouyou… We are no longer alone. They will keep us safe, no matter what will come after."

“Shinsuke…”

"You know what to say."

Shouyou chuckled lowering his gaze. When he looked again into Takasugi's eye, he said: "I'm home."

"Welcome back."

And that was enough to heal their deepest wounds.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why you bear with it and me until this point, but thank you.


End file.
